Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver

Written by Jill Heinerth

Narrated by Jill Heinerth

From one of the world’s most renowned cave divers, a firsthand account of exploring the earth’s final frontier: the hidden depths of our oceans and the sunken caves inside our planet

More people have died exploring underwater caves than climbing Mount Everest, and we know more about deep space than we do about the depths of our oceans. From one of the top cave divers working today—and one of the very few women in her field—Into the Planet blends science, adventure, and memoir to bring readers face-to-face with the terror and beauty of earth’s remaining unknowns and the extremes of human capability.

Jill Heinerth—the first person in history to dive deep into an Antarctic iceberg and leader of a team that discovered the ancient watery remains of Mayan civilizations—has descended farther into the inner depths of our planet than any other woman. She takes us into the harrowing split-second decisions that determine whether a diver makes it back to safety, the prejudices that prevent women from pursuing careers underwater, and her endeavor to recover a fallen friend’s body from the confines of a cave. But there’s beauty beyond the danger of diving, and while Heinerth swims beneath our feet in the lifeblood of our planet, she works with biologists discovering new species, physicists tracking climate change, and hydrogeologists examining our finite freshwater reserves.

Written with hair-raising intensity, Into the Planet is the first book to deliver an intimate account of cave diving, transporting readers deep into inner space, where fear must be reconciled and a mission’s success balances between knowing one’s limits and pushing the envelope of human endurance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062917874

Jill Heinerth

Jill Heinerth is a cave diver, underwater explorer, writer, photographer, and filmmaker. She has starred on TV series for PBS, National Geographic Channel, and the BBC and has consulted on movies for directors including James Cameron. She splits her time between Florida and Canada.

Reviews for Into the Planet

[Bob Grygo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing stories about a woman and her sport. Yes, it’s not just about diving. It’s about being yourself. I’m not ashamed of it. If I could, I would rank it six stars.

[Ross Taylor · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not bad, not great. Worth a listen if your a fan or big into diving

[Rachel Grant · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An absolutely wonderful book. Took away many helpful life lessons and an appreciation for those who risk their lives to help us understand the natural world and our place in it.

[Bec Kilsby · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jill has a beautiful story filled with so much adventure, life lessons, joys and sorrows. A great read.

[Kelly Chesney · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about more than deep sea diving. It’s about courage and passion and the choices we make about or own mortality. This book was recommended to me and even though I have no interest in scuba diving, I found it fascinating and relatable. The authors voice is soothing as well.

[Antonis Arocho · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well structured and thoughtful insight into a world completely unfamiliar to me. Jill and her team are role models. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Tasha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked it a lot but it probably should’ve been named differently since it’s less about cave diving than it is about Jill’s various personal life experiences and relationships. Still I enjoyed it very much and am glad I listened to it.

[Austin Lubitz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author made you feel like you were there !

[Stevebrennan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely riveting, the best diving adventure book I’ve ever read.

[D Spencer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a life story (so far!)... Tales of adventure told with good writing and little pomp and ego on display. A story of overcoming fears, discrimination and one's personal demons all wrapped up in adventure.

[faedemon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

twas a solid okay. the subject matter is certainly interesting & the more dangerous events suitably tense and riveting, but as i read through this book, little phrases here and there irked me. i came out of this book with a healthy interest in and respect for cave diving, but disliking jill herself. sorry girl

[kenno82 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amazing life and a terrific memoir. Such outstanding achievements.

[Vladimir Krzalic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Exceptional, brilliantly written book! Jill has marvelously presented the forces that are driving the explorers, their love, passion, loss and the grief that comes with it.

I have enjoyed every minute of it!

[Cameron Lloyd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book it takes you there like you’re experiencing it for yourself. Highly recommend

[flourgirl49 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a memoir of a cave diver, a person who explores underwater caves and passages beneath the earth and in icebergs. It's an incredibly dangerous and risky vocation, and I could almost feel the suffocating fear at some of the predicaments that the author got herself into. It would take a very special kind of personality to engage in activities like this, as your life is in danger virtually every time you embark on a mission. Pretty fascinating.

[forsanolim · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Diver Jill Heinerth recounts her experiences from getting into diving as a young marketing executive to leading the first diving expedition below icebergs in Antarctica. Her excitement for diving is really clear; her descriptions of the landscapes and views she experiences while diving are incredible, and she also makes the logistics of diving quite accessible to readers. She also comments on her life more broadly and how diving has intertwined with her sense of being, from her marriage to her status as one of only a few professional women in diving.

I first learned about this book a while ago, I believe after reading the magnificent Deep a few years ago. I'm very happy that I finally got around to reading it, and I thought it was a fascinating look into another extreme sport that I have very little desire to actually do but that is from a somewhat distant vantage really fascinating.

[breic-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I expected much more. This is mostly about Heinerth's experiences on other people's cave diving expeditions, especially Bill Stone's projects. Bill Stone has an excellent book himself, "Beyond the Deep: Deadly Descent into the World's Most Treacherous Cave," so I don't see a reason for reading this one.

Beyond that, the writing is very average. There is way too much information about her relationships. I didn't expect to be reading about her frustrations with online dating, and swiping right or left. It is neither interesting nor novel.

I don't know if she has repressed impostor syndrome, but she is constantly pointing out what an amazing explorer she is.

> We were on top of the world, and I was comfortable in my role as an exploration diver and felt I was an important asset to the success of the entire team.

> In this wild and almost unimaginable situation, I continue to blossom in the purity of unhindered exploration. I’ll be afraid, but I’ll never concede.

Stone didn't constantly write how great he is. He didn't have to, because his stories stood for themselves.

She complains constantly, about everything from bugs to her husband to online trolls. I'm sympathetic to her about trolls, but don't think that either engaging with them or complaining about it in your memoir is at all productive. And she unfortunately undercuts herself; on one page she complains about others saying saying she didn't earn her way onto her husband's expedition, and on the next page she writes:

> Not yet envisioning myself as capable of that level of advanced technical exploration diving, I first settled into a management and marketing role, bringing my artistic skills, photography, and technical background to the group.

There are a few interesting stories here, but they are buried in a mess.

> I was still too exhausted to communicate with Paul, who was sitting only five yards away at the fire. I wished he would sweep me up and make it all go away. Was our bond so weak that he could not even ask me what was wrong? … I wanted my indomitable French-Canadian husband to sweep me into his arms and make everything better.